A Sunday Afternoon
by FallenCrusader
Summary: When two college students enter the shop of a Mushi Master... Rated T. No Pairings. Set in Modern Era.
1. Chapter 1

A Sunday Afternoon 

Warning: The Awesomeness of Ginko.

Mushi-Shi © Yoshiyama Yuki  
Sunako/Hotaru © Creators

-/-

Ginko sighed as he stared out the window of the house. It was a Sunday afternoon, and not many people were dropping by his shop. That didn't bother him, really. Who'd want to have a conversation with a mental case? Well, in the normal people's opinion, that's what Ginko was. However, he noticed that two college students, both young women, who would curiously come by. They never directly approached the place, but occasionally peer in the windows. He thought about talking to them, but then that would possibly scare them off.

_Maybe coming to this country was a bad idea, _he told himself. _The people here don't even seem to recognize the Mushi that live among them… the Mushi must be another myth – a fantasy. _His one good eye glanced out the window, the sun was coming in, lighting up the front of the house-turned-shop with the brilliant colours of the jars and Mushi that lived inside. He exhaled the smoke from his cigarette, and saw the pair again. They hadn't noticed him staring at them, so Ginko took his time to study them. He remembered them from before, during his random moments of boredom, Ginko had named the black framed young woman Sunako, and the other Hotaru.

They were about the same height, one of them slightly shorter. They both wore glasses, one's frames were thick and black, the other thin and a brown. The one with the thick frames had her hair held back, and the one with the thin frames had her hair loose, which from Ginko's standpoint, extended down past her shoulders. _Yet, I think these two see them, the Mushi. _Finally, he stood, and they started, noticing him for the first time. The one with the thick frames backed away, dragging her companion with her, when he realised that they looked similar. _Could they be twins? _He opened the door, and he looked at the pair curiously.

"The shop's open you know," he said, and the young woman with the thick frames blinked, and her companion smiled brightly.

"May we come in then? We're always looking in the window to see the creatures you have in the jar!" Ginko blinked, _so they _can _see the Mushi. _He stood back, and held the door open a bit wider.

"Come right on in. I don't bite, but be careful: don't touch what you don't know." The young woman who asked the question whirled to her companion.

"Comon,' let's go take a look!"

"But –" Sunako was interrupted by her companion.

"We don't have anything, to do today, do we?" Sunako sighed.

"You're right… it's just that I don't know… how do we know you," Sunako directed her attention to Ginko, "won't murder us and use our bodies on the black market?" Ginko blinked, and shook his head, smiling. The imagination of young people, but she had a point.

"Good point, how can you trust me?" Ginko spread his hands. "All you know is that I _could _be a murder and sell your bodies on the black market." Here, Ginko raised a hand before Sunako could reply back, "However, I am not. I am merely a Mushi Master, who found his way here to this country. I will not harm you while you're in my shop; that I do promise." Sunako narrowed her eyes at the Mushi Master, trying to find something wrong with his words, and visibly relaxed.

"Alright, I believe you, Mushi Master." She held up a finger, a hand on her hip, "but if I find one thing wrong with you we are out of here, got it?" Ginko chuckled.

"If you say so," she scowled, but before she could say anything, Hotaru was dragging her into the store.

-/-

"So what are these creatures anyways?" Sunako asked, peering to a jar with kunohami inside. "Are they like some kind of unknown life form?"

"Yeah, I've seen some floating around campus, didn't you?" Hotaru asked from across the room, where she was examining a hadumagri. Sunako had nodded.

"Oh yeah, you're right." To Ginko's confused look, she explained, "people on campus think we're crazy, well, specifically, my friend here. We're the only ones who can see the… what you called them, Mushi?" Ginko nodded, "We can see them, apparently. They're rather harmless though, but on numerous times I've stopped Ms I-Want-To-Chase-Them from touching them because I figured they were probably deadly."

"But the sparkly things were cute and you know it!" Hotaru had retorted, and Ginko laughed.

"The Mushi you see are harmless alright, just don't agitate them and definitely don't chase them." He looked briefly at the sunlight in the room, and looked at the pair. "Listen, it's getting late and I don't want you two having to walk alone in the dark. Perhaps I should walk you back to your campus." They blinked simultaneously.

"Sure," Sunako said, wary. "Just don't –"

"Murder you and sell your bodies to the black market?" Ginko teased, earning a half-jesting glare. "Just kidding," he assured her.

"Yeah, whatever." She muttered, and walked out, Hotaru following.

-/-

"So what brought you to the States?" Hotaru asked, walking alongside him eagerly, Sunako trailing along with an unenthused look on her face. Ginko sighed, and then shrugged.

"A change of scenery, perhaps; or just possibly wanting to see the world," he shrugged. "In any case, it was time for me to move on. The people from where I lived didn't have any problems with the Mushi anymore, and there are newer Mushi Masters who can do the work that I did in half the time if there were any problems." He looked up at the sky, which was dimmed from the street lights. _Before_, he thought, _I could see the sky just full of stars… nowadays, I can barely see them._ He stopped abruptly when a hand was waving in front of his face.

"Yo, you there Mushi Master," Sunako asked, breaking him from his train of thought. He nodded, slightly disconcerted. "We're here at the dorm," she added, noticing that Ginko seemed confused.

"Yeah, sorry; I got lost in memories." Sunako nodded.

"Understand how that feels."

"Goodnight Mushi Master!" Hotaru beamed, and Ginko nodded.

"Goodnight to you two as well." He turned to leave, but then paused. "By the way, the name's Ginko. Don't hesitate to come around if you need anything." The pair blinked, and then nodded. "Alright, you two take care now." He left, walking down the street, hands stuffed in his pockets, his cigarette already lit. _Perhaps they'll come around more often. It does get lonely in that place, and they have an eye for Mushi. Maybe they'll end up becoming Mushi Masters, just like myself. _


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter II: The Beginning of a New Breed of Mushi Masters

Note: So, I decided to take the story _A Sunday Afternoon _to a new level. Consider this a full FanFiction instead of a one-shot. Again, let's hope I don't ruin Ginko's awesomeness or ruin the plot. Because knowing me, I'll screw up somehow.

-/-

A full week had gone by, and the Mushi Master awaited the two young women. However, the next Sunday, it was only Sunako who had arrived. Curious, he watched as she approached the house-turned-shop warily, it was painfully obvious that she was unsure of the Mushi Master. He grinned, watching her from the screen door.

"I'm not going to kill you, you know," Ginko said with a smile, as she approached with the nerve set of some sort of wary, battle-worn samurai. "I thought I told you that you can trust me." Sunako gave him a look that showed him that she didn't buy it.

"It's not that," she said carefully, "it's the fact that something seems off today." Ginko raised an eyebrow. So she felt it too? Interesting… "I think there's a Mushi nearby, but I can't say for sure…" she trailed off as Ginko nodded, finally revealing the Mushi that he had carefully picked out to test the pair.

"You're correct, there _is _a Mushi nearby. It's a Niezikasura – harmless, but very hard to capture. It's a Mushi that absorb sunlight in order to live. They take over a corpse in order to find more sunlight. They're also known for the unnatural phenomenon known as 'the one-night bridge.'" Sunako blinked, and raised an eyebrow.

"So they're the reasons why zombies were created?" she asked, and Ginko laughed.

"If you think about it that way, then yes. They're the exact same reason why zombies were created." He picked it up and carefully put it back in the jar it belonged too. "Now, why don't you come inside, we have much to discuss. Where's your friend?" Sunako blinked in alarm.

"Discuss what? And why do you care?" she asked cautiously. "If I told you, then she might get kidnapped – and besides, why should I go inside? I still think that –"

"I'm a murderer and will put your body parts on the black market?" Ginko teased with a smirk. Sunako glared, her glasses flashing in the light.

"It's a legitimate reason, and you know it!" she seethed, and Ginko widened the screen door.

"Come on in, I promise nothing bad will happen."

"Yeah, watch and I'll get attacked." Sunako muttered to herself, but walked in anyways. It was the same before, the various Mushi were in their jars, each giving off some sort of unreal light. In addition to the room, a small bookcase had been erected that had various items on it, each marked for a certain price. In the middle of the floor, a wooden table, low to the floor, had been placed, with cushions surrounding it. It was a traditional Japanese setting, and Sunako looked out of place in her modern clothes.

"Please take your shoes off at the door," Ginko said, placing the jar with the Niezikasura back in its place on a shelf near a shaft of sunlight. The Niezikasura seemed to dance in its jar, pleased. "And take a seat; I have a proposition for you and your friend." Sunako gave him a curious look, and looked like she was ready to send a retort, but sat anyways. _Curiosity is her sin_, Ginko guessed, as he took a seat opposite of her. _She'll make an excellent Mushi master. However, that curiosity will have to be tamed. It could be dangerous if she sticks her nose in a situation that could be deadly. _

"You asked why my friend wasn't here right." Sunako asked, and Ginko nodded, taking a drag from his cigarette, watching her motions with his one good eye. "Well, she went on a school trip, and she won't be back until Tuesday. I'm just here because I have nothing better to do." She said this with a nonchalant shrugged, and she gave him a curious glance. "So what's this… proposition you have? If it's anything illegal I'm refusing flat out." Ginko chuckled.

"You're just full of surprises – tell me, what kind of ideas do you think I have planned?" Sunako tapped her chin thoughtfully.

"Well, you could be trying to blackmail me, coerce me into something I don't want to do, probably have me pull some sort of awesome, yet illegal heist; you could be waiting for me to drop my guard so you can knock me out and torture me for days; you could knock me out and slowly torture me to death, or you could be waiting for me to drop my guard, chloroform me, and then proceed to do whatever you want." Ginko gave her a stare of 'what the hell are you on'. "What," she said with a simple shrug, "You were the one who asked the question, I just gave you an answer." Ginko shook his head, smiling. At least she was aware of her surroundings.

"Paranoid, aren't we?" he questioned, and she shrugged again.

"If you had a dad who made a living as a prison guard, you'd be as paranoid as I was." Ginko nodded in understanding, deciding it was time to discuss what he had originally intended to do.

"Well, since you know that you can see Mushi, what do you, as a person, plan on doing?" he asked, pulling out some papers. "How will you rest easy, knowing that mushi are what cause what people call, 'unexplained occurrences'? What would happen to you if you found out that your entire life was a lie, that mushi was the reason why you are how you are?" She gave him another thoughtful gaze.

"Well, I'd try to figure out the 'unexplained occurrences,' and I'd try to help people. For the 'entire life being a lie,' I don't know what I would do, to be honest. I never thought about it." She noticed the paper, and raised an eyebrow. "Why do you ask Mr Mushi Master Sir?" Ginko chuckled.

"As you know, I am a Mushi Master. We Mushi Masters always try to figure out how to solve such problems. We don't go looking for the meaning of life or anything philosophical like that, but we do try to explain the unnatural. What would you do if you had an eye disease that no one could cure? You don't know the cause, or the remedy. That's when we Mushi Masters get involved, and we find the mushi, known as the Manadga." He indicated to the jar on the lowest shelf, where the sunlight barely reached. In it was a purple, centipede-looking worm that was wound in the jar; the natural light was just enough to make it weak. Ginko watched Sunako shift away from the jar, amused.

"And you're telling me this _why_, exactly?" she inquired, and Ginko moved the paper towards her. It was a legal document, claiming that Ginko was a certified Mushi Master, and that anyone willing to train under him had to abide by the laws that the Paranormal Agency (even though Mushi were technically natural creatures) had set down. "What's this for?" she inquired, picking up the paper by the corner, hanging it in front of her face. "It's almost as if you're offering me either a job or to train me." Ginko grinned.

"That's exactly what it's for."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter III – I'll Think about It

Note: Writing this chapter is was a pain. I mean, _seriously_. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, and I'm so sorry this chapter's late! ;A;

-/-

Ginko watched Sunako intently, curious about her expression. It showed one of calm acceptance, and she seemed intrigued. He noticed that she scanned it once, twice, three times, before looking back at him. Her expression was that of a still pond – no ripples of emotions. _That would be a good asset for being a Mushi master, _Ginko thought, taking a drag on his cigarette. _After all, a Mushi Master must never show emotion. That's a key and important part. Emotions could easily cause a simple treatment to go horribly wrong. _"Why me?" she asked quietly, her eyes watching his movements carefully. _Has an eye for things, that's also a good thing. _Ginko didn't answer right away, closing his one good eye and sighed.

"Simply because of the fact that you can see the Mushi is alarming enough. You realise that it's been a good several hundred years that I've seen a _decent _Mushi Master – let alone one your age – in this country?" he put up a hand as she started to say something. "I'm not counting myself as part of your country. You and your sister seem to have a lot in common, and not only that, but you both also have an eye for things that normal people can't see. So you can see why I am interested in helping you hone your skills – it's not only to protect yourself, but to also help this country. The Mushi here are out of control, and I am the only one who can stem it." Sunako blinked, and looked back down at the paper he had given her.

"And what makes you think I'm cut out for this?" she inquired back, "For all you know, I could suck at this job, or I could end up getting someone killed." Ginko merely chuckled at this.

"You give yourself less credit than you think. I've seen how you've reacted to other people. You keep them at bay, and refuse to let them get close. The only one I've ever seen close to you is your twin. Perhaps with the right motivation, you'll learn to break the barriers that stand between you and the others. With this job comes with the fact that you have to interact with people, and have to learn to be patient with what they're trying to explain to you." The sunlight was getting aggravating, shining right into his eyesight, but Ginko couldn't move without it seeming odd.

"You know; if you wanted to move out of the sun, you could've. I don't mind – but I think it'd be easier for you to see." Sunako mentioned, and he blinked. There was no way she could've… "I read your body language, you were annoyed with the Sun." was all she said. Ginko blinked, and then grinned. He definitely had his work cut out for him.

"Well, think about it. If you don't want the job, then shred the paper and don't come back. Simple as that; however, think about your options. Would you rather have it where you're completely helpless to save someone, or do you want to protect them from the Mushi that could do them harm?" he stood, and Sunako quickly joined him, a thoughtful gaze in her eyes as she looked back down at the application.

"Alright Mr. Stalker person; I'll come back next weekend with my friend so you can go over it with her as well." She said, causing Ginko to take a double look. What did she just call him? "What?" she inquired and he just sighed and shook his head.

"Nothing," _Definitely will be a handful… but I get the feeling that things are going to be interesting from here on out._


End file.
